By then, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials were already at the scene. The MACC later said they had found RM30,000 in the package, he said.
He was arrested by the MACC on Wednesday but is now on bail. Manickavasagam, a PKR branch chief in Selangor, is alleged to have taken a RM30,000 bribe from a contractor.
Manickavasagam explained today that two men had thrown a white package into his car while he was purchasing drinks at a petrol station in Kapar, then bolted immediately.
He said he threw the package out of his car the moment he saw it and did not do anything with it because he was afraid of what could be in the package.
Lawyer N Surendran, representing Manickavasagam, said the entire case was “absurd.”
“Manickavasagam is not a councilor, an MP or even an assemblyman. If there is any form of corruption, there has to be someone for him to give corrupt benefit to; but he is in no position of power. The entire case is ridiculous,” Surendran told reporters outside the Petaling Jaya Police Headquarters today.
Manickavasagam said: “Someone is trying to ruin my reputation. They had accused me of corruption for having RM30,000 but when they searched my bag they only found RM884, which is my own money.
“Where is the RM30,000?” he asked.
Manickavasagam also denied reports that he had cheated several disabled people of their Employees Provident Fund deposits. He demanded proof from those who had made those allegations.
Manickavasagam added that he would file defamation suits against online news portals that had accused him of corruption and cheating the disabled.